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Every state had big stakes on the ballot. I previewed them before Nov. 3 — and now we know enough to revisit it all.
Here's a new thread on each & every state, and DC & Puerto Rico too. Idea is to encapsulate as much of what went down as I can within 280 characters. Let's go!
Here's a new thread on each & every state, and DC & Puerto Rico too. Idea is to encapsulate as much of what went down as I can within 280 characters. Let's go!
As a first step: Here's the pre-election thread if you want to explore it.
Of course, most of the information here is available on my http://whatsontheballot.com/2020-general-election!
And a series of December/January runoffs, of course, still loom large. The cycle is not over! https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/1308168355371778048
Of course, most of the information here is available on my http://whatsontheballot.com/2020-general-election!
And a series of December/January runoffs, of course, still loom large. The cycle is not over! https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/1308168355371778048
Oregon:—became the first state to decriminalize drug possession
—legalized psilocybin
—Dems flipped the Secretary of State office
—Portland/Mulntomah adopted preschool for all
—Portland's mayor beat left challenge
—Rep. DeFazio re-elected in tighter than usual race
Colorado:—Dems gain a US Senate seat, & a state Senate seat
—Anti-abortion measure lost
—Voters approved Popular Vote Compact, *&* paid medical/family leave, *&* bringing back wolves, *&* lowering income tax
—New reform-minded DAs
—Boebert won
—Boulder voted to curb evictions
Florida—Swings to Trump
—GOP gains US House *&* legislative seats
—Voters approve $15 minimum wage
—Dems gain Miami-Dade mayor
—Progressive wins Orlando DA. "Tougher-on-crime" loses in Tampa
—Pinellas sheriff wins
—Reject: initiative to make initiatives harder, "Top 2" system
South Carolina:—Lindsey Graham wins
—Dems flip Charleston sheriff's office with candidate who vowed to end ICE contract
—GOP keeps Charleston's prosecutor office amid racial justice faultlines
—GOP picks-up House seat (SC-1).
—GOP expands majority in both legislative chambers
South Dakota:—Approved legalizing marijuana
—Separately, approved legalizing medical marijuana
North Dakota:—Rejected an initiative that would have made future citizen initiatives harder (one of 3 states to reject this)
—GOP Gov. re-elected, & GOP grows in legislature
Oklahoma—GOP flipped #OK05
—Rejected a measure to make some sentences less harsh
—GOP defended Oklahoma Co. board (OK's most populous)
—Trump won every county (trend since 2000)
—State's first Muslim lawmaker
Idaho—GOP flipped back Ada Co. commission (ID's most populous)
Minnesota:—Dems flip a state Senate seat, but fall short of gaining the chamber & the trifecta.
—Dems held for Biden, & for Tina Smith
—& for a Justice facing a conservative challenge
—GOP flip MN07, a very Trump-friendly district
—Some municipalities adopt ranked-choice
Missouri—GOP won Gov race, & MO-02
—Adopted measure erasing 2018's redistricting reform
—Cori Bush heads to Congress
—Kim Gardner reelected
—St. Louis approved approval voting, *&* raising tax to fund childhood services
—St. Louis rejects allowing police to not live in city
Alaska:—Approved new electoral system ("Top 4", mixed with ranked-choice voting)
—GOP keeps U.S. Senate, U.S. House seat
—Narrowest GOP presidential win since 1992
—Uncertain if GOP controls trifecta (Dems/GOP dissidents won enough to keep their legislative coalition going)
Washington D.C.—Decriminalized (mostly) psilocybin mushrooms
—1st election since DC abolished felony disenfranchisement
—Council moves left (but the more progr. lost at-large race)
Virginia—Approves redistricting reform
—Richmond mayor wins
—No flip in US House races
Maryland:—Approved measure to strengthen legislature
—Legalized sports betting
—School board candidates that want to get police out of schools do well in Prince George's Co.
—Baltimore approved weakening mayoral power
—Baltimore approved affordable housing, schools, bonds
Montana:—Marijuana legalization wins
—GOP wins U.S. Senate & U.S. House races
—GOP flipped open Governor's race. First wince since 2000. And it's Gianforte.
—GOP grows in legislature. Also wins SoS & AG races.
—GOP seizes trifecta
—Measure to preempt local gun control wins
Kansas: —GOP wins U.S. Senate race. Dems haven't won since 1932.
—GOP defends #KS02, and Dems defend #KS03
—GOP keeps its legislative supermajorities
—GOP keeps Shawnee DA office over reform candidate
New Hampshire—Dems win big in federal races: WH, US Senate, US House
—GOP wins big in state races: keep Gov., flip House & Senate, seize trifecta
Connecticut:—Dems expand legislative majorities, maybe easing path for stalled reforms
—Dems keep all federal offices
Vermont—GOP governor re-elected
—Dems/progressive lose their supermajority in state House
—Criminal justice reformers win elections for high bailiff
—Dems win AG, SoS, LG, Treasurer races
—Biggest shift against the GOP in the presidential race of all states
Washington—Approves mandatory sex ed
—Gov. Inslee wins
—as do Justices he named
—as does GOP SoS
—as does the school superintendent targeted over sex ed
—The more moderates win all-D runoffs for LG & WA10
—No net change in legislature; Tarra Simmons wins
—No federal change
Ohio —Dems flip Supreme Court seat. GOP keeps 2nd, & majority
—Trump easily
—Reformer wins Cincinnati sheriff
—Cincinnati prosecutor beats reformer
—Columbus prosecutor protested over policing loses
—Columbus sets up police oversight board
—No change in U.S. House races
Mississippi:—Legalizes medical marijuana
—Approves new state flag
—GOP wins Senate, Supreme Court races
Arkansas:—Rejected initiative to make progressive initiatives harder
—Renewed sales tax for transportation
—GOPer who targeted challenger for being black wins AR-2
Michigan—Biden flips it.
—Dems flip state Supreme Court (gain one Justice)
—Dems kept U.S. Senate seat. No House change.
—GOP defends state House
—Reformer wins Oakland & Washtenaw prosecutor
—GOP sheriff reelected in Oakland
—Approve requiring warrants for electronic data
Utah—GOP flips UT-04
—Voters approve removing constitutional allowance of slavery as a punishment
—Dems keep mayor of Salt Lake Co.
—GOP keeps Gov, AG
—Trump gained
Indiana—GOP wins IN-05
—GOP wins Gov & AG races
—GOP net seats in state House (but Dems +1 in Senate)
Wisconsin—Biden wins presidential race: tipping-point state
— Dem gains in Assembly; GOP gains in Senate
—GOP fails to win supermajorities in either gerrymandered chamber
New Jersey—Legalized marijuana (easily)
—No flips in US House, incl. Dem NJ7 & Van Drew's NJ2
Maine—Susan Collins wins re-election, big Senate win for GOP
— #ME02: goes for Trump, & for the Dem House incumbent
—Portland, ME, voted for higher minimum wage, new housing protections, ban on facial recognition tech
—Dems defend state Senate & House, keep their trifecta
Kentucky:—Mitch McConnell re-elected
—Very large GOP gains in legislature
—Conservative wins Supreme Court race
—Voters adopt Marsy's Law
—Voters reject doubling prosecutors' terms
Alabama:—Sen. Doug Jones loses
—Voters approve "citizens only" voting measure
Puerto Rico:—Approves statehood measure
—PNP's Pierluisi wins Gov.
Wyoming:—In legislature, far-right surge in GOP primaries, and then Dem losses in Nov
—Voters rejects lifting debt ceiling for some local projects
Arizona—Biden flipped it
—Dems now hold both US Senate seats
—Easily legalized marijuana
—Raised tax on higher incomes for public education
—GOP kept legislature, trifecta
—Arpaio's ex-deputy lost vs. Maricopa's Dem sheriff
—But GOP won DA, recorder, board races in Maricopa
Massachusetts: —Rejected ranked choice voting
—Dems flip Norfolk Co. sheriff's race, a dress rehearsal for 2022
Hawaii:—More centrist candidate wins Honolulu Mayor
—For Honolulu prosecutor, more reform-minded of 2 runoff candidates wins
—Kai Kahele headed to DC
Rhode Island:—Removed 'plantation' from state name
—Legislature remains overwhelmingly Dem, with shifts:
—Wave of progressive wins over incumbents in primaries (they won in Nov. too)
—Centrist (Dem) Speaker ousted by GOP, upends chamber
Nebraska:—Bidens flipped Omaha's electoral vote
—GOP defended #NE02
—GOP fell short of legislative supermajority
—Voters removed constitutional allowance of slavery as a punishment
—Voters capped payday lending interests
New Mexico—GOP flips NM-02
—Dem defend open U.S. Senate seat
—Legislature shifts left (after prog. gains in Senate primaries)
Delaware—Progressives gained in Dem primaries (& won in Nov.)
—Dems expanded legislative majorities in Nov.
Texas—GOP kept House (no losses) & trifecta
—GOP keeps all its congressional seats
—Win for left for Travis Co. DA
—Austin approves transit $
—GOP sweeps SC, Railroad Comm. Dems narrow BofEd.
—Nueces Dem DA wins.
—Tarrant GOP sheriff wins. Fort Bend & Williamson's flip Dem.
West Virginia:—Really huge GOP gains in legislature (+18 in House)
—GOP sweeps statewide races, incl. Gov., AG, SoS
—GOP winning Treasurer ousts rare statewide Dem
Tennessee —New GOP U.S. Senator
—An ex-Dem lawmaker who'd sided with GOP on key bills loses to a Dem
Nevada—Voters easily repealed old ban on same-sex marriage
—And made pardons easier
—Dems defended U.S. House seats
—Biden wins, with days of national
—Dems keep legislature (not supermajority), & their trifecta
—Public defenders win judicial races in Clark/Las Vegas
Pennsylvania:—Biden flipped it
—No flips in U.S. House despite plenty of attention.
—GOP keeps state House. (Progressives gain in Dem primaries.)
—Philly, Pittsburgh approved setting up or strengthening civilian oversight boards
—Dems win AG, & GOP wins Treasurer/Auditor.
Illinois—Rejected making income tax progressive
—No federal flips
—Newman heads to DC instead of Lipinski
—Kim Foxx reelected. Dems flip Lake prosecutor. Reformer falls short in DeKalb.
—A Justice *not* retained, sets up big 2022 battle
—Dems have trifecta. Madigan's fate?
Iowa:—Joni Ernst wins, in big GOP Senate victory
—GOP expand their narrow majority in state House
—GOP also defends state Senate, & trifecta
—Trump wins easily
—GOP flip at least 1 U.S. House seat. A 2nd in recount.
(At least that caucus is behind us.)
Louisiana:—Adopts anti-abortion referendum
—No flips in federal offices, in PSC races.
—Two public defenders win judicial races in New Orleans
—Rejected pair of amendments to constrain spending, affect revenue streams
—HEADS TO RUNOFF: DA race in New Orleans; reform stakes
North Carolina:—GOP wins Senate race, huge national stakes
—Dems win Gov race, keep veto power
—Dems flip 2 U.S. House seats (via new map)
—GOP keeps legislature, also Treasurer, LG.
—Dems keep AG, SoS, Auditor
—GOP flips at least 1 Supreme Court seat. May be 2; in recount.
California (federal & statewide stakes):—Voters expand voting rights
—Uber/Lyft/+ win anti-labor prop
—No to: aff. action, rent control, rolling back tax limits
—No to: rolling back sentencing reform
—GOP flip CA39/48. (CA21/25 still TBD).
—Dems grow further in state Senate
California (local)—Gascón wins LA's DA race on reform. Also LA: measure J.
—San Diego: yes to police review, Dems flip mayor & board
—Left wins in LA & Sacramento councils
—SF ends minimum police, ends citizens-only boards
—Oakland lowers voting age
—Transit win in Bay Area
Georgia—Biden wins
—Cobb/Gwinnett: Dems flip sheriff's races (& a lot more); ICE key issue.
—Dems flip GA-07
—GOP keeps legislature
—DA who didn't act after Arbery's murder ousted
—Runoffs! both U.S. Senate seats
—Also runoffs! PSC (key for climate, utilities), Athens DA
New York—Dems gain Senate supermajority (had Assembly's), beat back police unions attacks
—GOP flips NY11, keep NY24. NY22 TBD.
—WFP keeps its line
—Rocah wins Westchester DA
—Big left gains for Congress & legislature in primaries
—Trump’s NY boasting went nowhere
The end!
Thus this thread comes to an end!
As Biden prepares transition, don’t lose sight of the hundreds of other offices and sites of power decided this month — and what they’ll mean for 2/4 years ahead.
And let me know ↓ if I left out stuff I left out that you care about!
As Biden prepares transition, don’t lose sight of the hundreds of other offices and sites of power decided this month — and what they’ll mean for 2/4 years ahead.
And let me know ↓ if I left out stuff I left out that you care about!
